Comprehensive Deep-Dive: New Strictly Come Dancing Host Josh Widdicombe Admits the Hardest Part of His New Job
As the new presenting trio of Strictly Come Dancing settles into the BBC’s flagship weekend show, comedian Josh Widdicombe has opened up about the unexpected emotional challenges of his new role.
1. Stepping Into an Iconic Hosting Role
Following the departure of long-running presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, the BBC introduced a brand-new, three-person hosting team for the 2026 series.
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A New Dynamic: Josh Widdicombe joined forces with fellow presenter Emma Willis and professional dancer Johannes Radebe to front the competition—marking the first time in the show’s history that a trio has shared hosting duties.
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Adjusting to the Roles: After a few weeks of experimenting with where each host stands during the live broadcasts, the team settled into a dynamic where Emma and Josh initially flanked the judges, while Johannes chatted with contestants on the balcony, before rotating positions during the high-stakes results shows.
2. Facing the “Terrible” Emotional Toll of Eliminations
During a solo appearance on the BBC Two spin-off show It Takes Two, Widdicombe spoke candidly with host Ellie Taylor about what it’s really like to helm the biggest entertainment show on British television.
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Enjoying the Experience: While describing the job as “the time of my life,” Widdicombe admitted that stepping behind the scenes changed his perspective entirely.
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The Weight of Eliminations: Reflecting on the show’s first elimination weekend, the comedian confessed that he hadn’t anticipated how difficult and emotionally heavy the elimination process would feel from the inside. “When I took the Strictly job I didn’t realise how difficult eliminations was going to be, emotions would be… it’s so intense, you feel terrible,” he shared.
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Dividing the Duties: He humorously contrasted his time hanging out with the safe couples upstairs alongside Johannes—calling it a “sweet gig”—compared to the heavy emotional atmosphere surrounding the couples facing the dance-off and elimination downstairs.